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Chris Froome wins Criterium International

COL DE L'OSPEDALE, France (AP) — Tour de France runner-up Chris Froome won the Criterium International on Sunday after a solo victory in the third and final stage. Froome escaped 5.5 kilometers (3.42 miles)

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Chris Froome wins Criterium International

AP
1:51 p.m. EDT March 24, 2013

British cyclist Chris Froome takes the start of the second stage of the 82th Criterium International cycling race in Porto Vecchio, Corsica, on Saturday.(Photo: PASCAL POCHARD CASABIANCA AFP/Getty Images)

Story Highlights

COL DE L'OSPEDALE, France (AP) — Tour de France runner-up Chris Froome won the Criterium International on Sunday after a solo victory in the third and final stage.

Froome escaped 5.5 kilometers (3.42 miles) from the end of the 176-kilometer (110-mile) stage to beat Team Sky teammate Richie Porte by 27 seconds and overtake the Australian in the overall standings.

Froome had started the day two seconds behind Porte, who won the individual time trial on Saturday.

The British cyclist timed his attack to perfection on the grueling ascent up Col de l'Ospedale above Porto Vecchio in Corsica — where the Tour starts on June 29.

Bauke Mollema of the Netherlands finished the stage in third to take fourth place overall.

American rider Tejay van Garderen took third after crossing the line fifth, just behind Jean-Christophe Peraud.

There was an early break of seven with Florian Vachon, Jeremy Roy, Edwig Cammaerts, Paul Poux, Yann Huguet, Jose Goncalves and Laurent Didier building a lead of over more than four minutes by the 40K (25-mile) mark.

They were slowly reeled in and all the leaders had been swallowed up by the peloton with 17K (11 mile) remaining.

Team Sky was in control of the group, with Vasili Kiryienka leading ahead of teammates Froome and Porte. Johann Tschopp broke 7K (4.3 miles) from the finish and was followed by Froome and Peraud.

Froome then left those behind and swiftly built up a gap of more than 15 seconds.

Behind him, Porte also attacked — along with Van Garderen — overtaking the duo as well as Bauke Mollema 2K (1.2 miles) from the finish line.